Rich Web Client Activity Statement

The Rich Web Clients Activity contains the work within
W3C on Web Applications.

With the ubiquity of Web browsers and Web document formats across a range of
platforms and devices, many developers are using the Web as an application
environment. Examples of applications built on rich Web clients include
reservation systems, online shopping or auction sites, games, multimedia
applications, calendars, maps, chat applications, weather displays, clocks,
interactive design applications, stock tickers, office document and spreadsheet
applications, currency converters, and data entry/display systems.

Web client applications typically have some form of programmatic control.
They may run within the browser or within another host application. A Web
client application is typically downloaded on demand each time it is
"executed," allowing a developer to update the application for all users as
needed. Such applications are usually smaller than regular desktop applications
in terms of code size and functionality, and may have interactive rich
graphical interfaces.

The work of the Web Applications (WebApps) WG covers both APIs and formats.
APIs are the assorted scripting methods that are used to build rich Web
applications, mashups, Web 2.0 sites. Standardizing APIs improves
interoperability and reduces site development costs. Formats covers certain
markup languages, including Widgets for deploying small Web applications
outside the browser, and XBL for skinning applications.

The active participation in the WebApps WG by all major browser vendors and
many other experts and key technology interests have made it a productive and
popular group to join and to bring work to, and the group continues to balance
new work with the completion of existing deliverables. The full list of WebApps
WG deliverables and their publication status may be found on the WebApps WG wiki.

Web Performance Working Group

The Web Performance Working
Group was launched on 18 August 2010. As Web browsers and their underlying
engines include richer capabilities and become more powerful, web developers
are building more sophisticated applications where application performance is
increasingly important. Developers need the ability to assess and understand
the performance characteristics of their applications using well-defined
interoperable methods.

Compound Document Formats Working Group

The Compound Document Formats (CDF) Working Group closed on 19 August 2010.
The specifications under development were published as Working Group Notes.
Although the specifications developed by the CDF Working Group did not reach
Recommendation status, they do serve as valuable reference material, and many
of the tests produced as a result of Candidate Recommendation experience are
reusable by other groups. The CDF Working Group also coordinated with other
groups, such as the CSS and SVG Working Groups, to successfully include changes
in those specifications which have led to better integration of technologies
and improved interoperability. The topic of compound documents by reference and
by inclusion is continued in other groups, including the HTML and SVG Working
Groups.

Audio Working Group

The Audio Working Group was
launched on 28 February 2010. Its goal is to define a client-side script API
adding more advanced audio capabilities than are currently offered by audio
elements. The API will support the features required by advanced interactive
applications including the ability to process and synthesize audio streams
directly in script. This API can be used for interactive applications, games,
3D environments, musical applications, educational applications, and for the
purposes of accessibility. It includes the ability to synchronize, visualize,
or enhance sound information when used in conjunction with graphics APIs. Sound
synthesis can be used to enhance user interfaces, or produce music.

Upcoming Activity Highlights

The Document Object Model
(DOM) Level 3 Events specification, which has undergone significant changes
to improve internationalized keyboard and mobile device text input, is expected
to transition to LC in the coming months.

Finally, the WebApps Working Group has seen wide uptake of its Web IDL specification among other W3C
groups, and anticipates a new public draft soon based on numerous revisions.
The WebApps WG is coordinating with ECMA TC-39 to ensure that the features
described in Web IDL align with recent developments in the ECMAScript languages
(such as Javascript).